Cellulose Insulation in the tank

Acuario · Oct 28, 2019

My electrician was hooking up a new ceiling light and just kicked over a bucket full of attic insulation from his ladder into my 45 ga. aquarium. I got most of it out now with a net and it’s also filtering through a sump sock. I think it is mostly cellulose but my arms are itchy, so maybe fiberglass too. The miracle is his hammer landed in the tank without breaking the glass or any corals. Unfortunatelythe hammer took a big chip of the front glass at the top. Why he needed a hammer and what exactly he did, I don’t understand yet.
Here is what I read>
Cellulose is composed of 75-85% recycled paper fiber, usually post-consumer waste newsprint. The other 15% is a fire retardant such as boric acid or ammonium sulphate. I just put 5 tbsp of carbon in a sock. Anything else I can do? I have fish and mostly sps corals.

reef lover · Oct 28, 2019

Yikes!! Find a new contractor!!
Def add carbon and any chemipure and polyfilter you might have! Im unsure on any longterm effect.

Acuario · Oct 28, 2019

Thanks Reeflover, not sure yet to consider myself lucky or unlucky.
But I'll tell you what, an email arrived this afternoon that put this event in context. One of my students, who just graduated last year from college, along with two other pedestrians were hit by a drunk driver yesterday. They are all in ICU. Life is so precious.

reef lover · Oct 29, 2019

On myyy i hope they will be ok!

homer1475 · Oct 29, 2019

First thing first, fire that contractor! And do not pay the bill until they adjust the bill for the damage to the tank(the chip not the insulation).

Secondly, I have done the same thing(cellulose insulation) and all I did was scoop it out. I already have carbon in a reactor and notice nothing out of the ordinary.

FYI take the carbon out of the sock and put it in a high flow area in a mesh bag. reason being is the water crashing down from your overflow into the sock will grind the carbon to dust and cause more problems then your trying to fix. Carbon is great if used properly, but can cause all sorts of issues if used improperly.